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Zimbabwe Police Want to Ban Protests in Capital For a Month

September 13, 2016

VOA Staff

FILE - Protesters disperse in Harare Aug. 24, 2016, after Zimbabwe police fired tear gas, water cannon and gunshots to stop hundreds of youths rallying against the government of President Robert Mugabe.

Zimbabwe police are proposing a month-long ban on demonstrations in the capital, barely a week after a court ruled an earlier ban unconstitutional.

The proposal came hours after a group of opposition parties on Monday announced plans for a "mega'' demonstration on Saturday.

Harare has been rocked by weeks of near-daily protests over a plummeting economy, allegations of corruption and President Robert Mugabe's decades-long rule. Police have often used tear gas, water cannons and violence to crush the demonstrations.

The opposition parties had planned to protest for electoral reforms earlier this month, but police announced a two-week ban on demonstrations that was later overturned.

The new police proposal seeks to extend the ban to suburbs surrounding Harare's business district. The proposal does not give a reason for the ban.